Monday, November 28, 2005

Is it normal for a forty something year old man to go out looking like this?

I mean I know he has a soul club to run once a month but really. He goes out, little bo head, short legs, do they really do him any favours? I could not stop laughing bloggers, tears pouring down my face. He adores his Oxford Bags. Can you see Jazz looking in disgust and disbelief? She was not amused and asked her dad 'what the hell you playin at? You're not even funny dad'. I asked him if anyone liked them and he said he did receive a few admiring glances. One friend said 'hey man, they are big bad boy trousers'. Midlife?
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Well the snow caused the usual chaos, schools closed, buses not running, accidents on the road etc but now it has stopped and all but thawed. Still it was fun while it lasted (the snow that is, not the chaos). Alfie loved it and said it was a gift from God and Father Christmas, hahahaha. Don't know where he gets his religious bent from!

Went to Exeter yesterday for a bit of retail. Got some nice Xmas goodies as well as a pretty tweed skirt and angora cardi for me. Well a girl has to keep warm somehow. Plus I was rewarding myself for being a good girl and losing 4lb last week. That means I have lost the 3.5lb I put on eating cakes (and the rest!) with my girlfriends plus another .5lb. I am bang on target now and will be able to fill my face with mince pies and christmas pudding come Christmas Day. We bought our Pud yesterday from the Carved Angel restaurant. I started buying this pudding at the Country Living Christmas Fair some years back and it is the most delicious thing ever. I have always said that I would not make a homemade one until I can better their recipe and, as I have far too much to do as it is, buying one just takes the pressure off. I do make homemade mince pies, truffles and Christmas Morning Muffins (courtesy of the delectable Nigella), which have now become legendary in our household. I must be careful still as I am coming round to Paul's idea of some winter sun. He suggested going away after Christmas and, as they fly from Exeter to the Canaries, I am sorely tempted, especially today. So bikini in January means control over Xmas, hmmmmmm :-/

My man is back in a minute. He has been in the woods all day, with his chainsaw, in the snow, so I am off to make a big chilli and jacket potatoes to warm him up. Ciao for now
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Monday, November 21, 2005

I've had such a busy week, I just don't know where my time goes. Let me update you:

On Tuesday I went back to Weight Watchers with my friend Lisa. She wanted to start going as she has a foot injury which is stopping her from running. She was worried that if she is unable to run (which she does on a daily basis) then she will start to put on weight. So I snuck back, gold card in hand, after 2 months of not going, and found that I have only put on 3.5lbs. Much better than I thought and considering the fun, and not to mention cakes, I have had, it was not a bad result. So I'm back to being good for now and have a goal of losing 1/2 a stone by Christmas.

On Wednesday Lisa had a stall in a craft fair about 15 miles from here so I went to support her and see if I could pick up any nice Xmas pressies. Firstly the link road between here and there was closed due to a road traffic accident so it took forever to get there. When I did finally arrive I found the venue to be in a lovely old Victorian building but up a great flight of stairs. I managed to get someone to help me up with the pushchair but that's where the nightmare began. It was full of elderly well-to-do ladies wot lunch and they were far from baby friendly. The venue was packed and crowded and most people looked at me like I had just pooed on the floor. I heard mutterings of 'shouldn't let pushchairs in here' so after one torturous round I left having bought some pretty hand-made jewellery from Lisa that I could have bought direct and saved myself the diesel and hassle! Hey ho. Oh but all was not lost. In the local recycling centre I did find this rather lovely flour shaker (first on left) to go with my collection of containers with writing on (I like them too Trac).

On Thursday I went to Lytton and Lily's Xmas party and bought some more pretty decorations and little Xmas gifts. I can't wait to decorate now.

On Friday we went to Barnstaple to watch Father Christmas arrive in his sleigh pulled by REAL reindeer! Lisa came along with Holly. She and Alfie got to stroke the reindeer and were delighted. I have never seen real reindeer before and loved their gentle faces and fluffy horns. The Father Christmas was crap. He had dark black rimmed specs on and a rubbish fake beard. Luckily the children didn't seem to notice but last year he was so much better and came complete with his own beard.

Saturday I decided to take a day off from housework and make some bags which I am making for Christmas presents. Each one is individual, there will be no two alike and they are embellished with hand embroidery, buttons, beads and corsages. I have made them from velvet, tweed and wool with pretty cotton linings. Well It didn't go according to plan! I had 2 children to entertain/feed/look after and my pattern (which I am making up as I go along) just wouldn't come right. I must have unpicked one bag about 8 times before I finally gave up and put in a tearful telephone call to my mum. Talking to her always makes me feel better and after taking a break from the aforementioned bag (which almost got put in the bin) I finally got it finished. I have now got a new pattern idea and will attempt a few more later this week.

The weather here has been glorious. Sure it's cold but the sunshine is so beautiful and the sunsets just out of this world. I drove home last night watching the changing sky and thought how lucky I was to live here. I adore Devon. There was just one big twinkling star visible way up in the sky. Alfie asked me what it was called and I said I didn't know but I remember a little poem that I used to say when I saw the first star of the night it went:

Star lightStar brightYou're the first star I see tonightMake my dreams come true

Alfie loved it and repeated it all the way home. One of his dreams did come true, he got to dance round the kitchen on Daddy's feet while he cooked dinner!

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

I am just writing to say Thank You. Thank You for giving me a reason to live. Thank you for showing me that I am not just a 40 something year old mother but can still be a sexy woman with a life apart from my children. Just as I was giving up all hope and after a tearful phone call to my mum to say that I think I have made a major mistake, motherhood isn't actually for me after all, you come along and show me that there is more to life.

So, I tucked my skinny jeans into my boots, despite the disapproving looks from the teenaged daughter, and put on your cd. Oh girlfriend, you haven't lost it. Such wonderful disco-inspired beats reach my ears and I am instantly transported to Studio 52. As I whirl and glide across the kitchen floor, like a late contender for Celebrity Come dancing, I become a star. OK I grant you that my only audience is a 7 month old baby, but she is mesmerised. The look on her face is one of awe and wonder as she thinks 'Wow, Mum, how are you doing THAT?' I don't even notice that I am peeling potatoes as I make shapes on my own domestic dance floor. You have always been my bench mark, 'Well if Madonna can do it .........' and once again you have shown me the way.

Thank you Madonna, from the bottom of my invigorated heart. Tomorrow I may even flick up my hair a la Farrah Fawcett.

Thursday, November 10, 2005

"Just google your name and the word "needs." You'll come up with some pretty funny stuff, and can share the top 10 hits with your Internet buddies."

She was right. Here's mine

Donna Needs:

1. To bury demons2. Two hands to keep things steady3. A makeover4. Your help NOW!!!5. A good reason to work on her reading6. A bloke so her mum won't think she's repellant to men7. Address labels8. A loving nurturing adoptive family who can accept her limitations9. To have a drunken one night stand and get her groove back10. Better schools and more teachers

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Look what beautiful butterflies came in the post. They flew all the way from Brizzol and landed in my pantry, settling on the window and hibernating happily 'til spring. I love them, thank you Hippo, you have a great talent there :-)

It's been a beautiful day. The kind of autumnal day that I love. Warm sun mixed with crisp air and a smell of damp soil. I walked down to Alfie's school tonight as I didn't have to pick up Jazz. It was a lovely walk. Baby was bundled up in her pram cooing happily. I took some photos but my batteries in the camera ran out after 3! The walk was to help kick start my eating healthily again. I have let things slide lately. I was caught by the cake monster ably helped by the biscuit bandit who hijacked me every time I passed the tin! How easy it is to eat 10 biscuits and not notice. Clothes that were loose are now tight again so no more bad behaviour from me.

We had a blustery day the other day and one of our trees fell down right across our driveway. Paul got his tractor out and dragged it out of the way. If we didn't have a tractor we may have been trapped, how exciting!

Paul put up my new glass fronted cabinet that I found in an antique shop. It is in the kitchen and looks gorgeous. I have been looking for one for 2 years. I might paint it the same colour as the dressers but I am going to look at for a few days in situ and see what I think.

I have been making bags and I am really happy with the results so far. Tweed and velvet bags with lovely buttons and handstitching to decorate them. I saw some in Monsoon that I thought were lovely. My friend Amanda said 'you could make those'. I agree but I just don't get time. Well I decided to make time and am letting the housework wait. I am going to make them for Christmas presents. Once I have a finished article I will take a photo.

Sunday, November 06, 2005

This is the second time I have written this as the first time it disappeared into blogger cyberspace!

I had a really crap day yesterday, no stick with me, I assure you it's worth it. It started off quite nicely dear reader with a lovely LONG phone call from my dear Tatty (well her husband is away and cannot nag about the cost). I was trying to get out of the house and into town to do a bit of (essential) shopping. This was proving difficult and after much yelling, cajoling and threatening (no fireworks unless you get your socks on NOW), I finally managed to get Alfie into the car. Grabbing my phone I noticed it had no charge. No problem, I thought, I will charge it in the car. I got baby and Alf strapped in, ran back, locked the door and then posted the key through the letterbox. Got in the car, looked in my handbag, no keys, shit. I'll phone Paul who has just left to go to the laser site round the corner and ask him to bring his keys. No charge in my phone, shit. Shit, shit, shit. I thought for a moment about walking the mile to his work, getting key, walking back etc but as that sounded far too arduous I decided to go round to near neighbours house and ask to use the phone to summon Paul's help. I do not know my neighbours that well, they are rather elderly and well-to-do. I am on waving terms if I see them in the lane or to say hi if they are in the village shop but otherwise I only worry about how noisy they must think us when we are all in the garden yelling and whooping in this otherwise quiet neck of the woods. I winkled Alfie out of his car seat where he was quite comfortable, thank you very much, put baby in her pram and set off round to the neighbours. The lady of the house saw us and invited us in. She was very sympathetic and offered to drive me to get the keys if Paul was unable to come. I used her phone while Alfie said over and over (very loudly) 'Mum, what's that lovely food smell?' 'I'm hungry mum' 'Mum I'm hungry' 'MUUUUUUUM' before disappearing into the depths of her house. Paul couldn't come as 30 kids had just arrived to play so Sylvia, (as I discovered my neighbour was called), drove me in her car and I left the pram outside her house. I tried to make small talk while Alfie went into full-on twit mode and just showed off like you wouldn't believe. I kept giving him 'looks' but it just made him worse. When we arrived at The Big Sheep I left Lizzy with Sylvia and set off with Alfie to get the keys. The lady at reception made sympathetic noises when I told her why I was there and waved us through. We started walking to the site when Alfie slipped and fell flat on his face and was now covered, and I mean covered, in mud. I screamed. WHY?!!!!!!!!!! I just didn't need this. Could my day get any worse? (Oh yes, you'd better believe it, it could get a whole lot worse). I grabbed the keys from Paul and started back to the car thinking 'how can I put this muddy child into my neighbour's clean car?' when Alfie semi-slipped again. I put my hand out to catch him and in doing so I must have lost my footing because I slid in the mud and ended up on my back covered in mud from the back of my head to my heels. I couldn't scream this time, I just couldn't believe it, I wanted to cry. Meanwhile Alfie was laughing like a hyena. He was beside himself but I failed to see the funny side myself (I have since and as I write this tears of mirth run down my face). Passing through reception the lady seeing us all muddy says 'oh dear, you're not having a very good day are you?' I growl under my breath (well I think it was under my breath) and go back to the car where Sylvia greets me with a look of horror. It starts to rain heavily. We get into her car and, to mask my humiliation, I just start talking crap while Alfie relives the scene over and over, hooting with laughter so that in the end Sylvia and I have to laugh. I get out of the car and after a thousand sorries for all the mud on her back seat I take the now soaked pram and we walk back down the lane, wet, muddy and bedraggled. I howl loudly all the way home (I find this always helps). I stay home, I can't face going out.

Saturday, November 05, 2005

Can anyone tell me who the character was in the childrens programme from the 1970's who had a flower on her dress and she could wish if she touched it? She also had an eskimo friend. I didn't have a television for most of the 1970's so there are huge gaps in my cultural history. I have some fabric with this character on but I cannot remember who she is. Help please!
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Friday, November 04, 2005

I'm fed up. I don't usually blog when I'm fed up because I don't feel inspired but I just can't shake off this mood today. My credit card bill came today and Fuck me it's huge! It's out of control and I am starting to get scared now. We are living on a pittance while Paul tries to set up his business but living in this monstrous great house is just eating up every penny we have and some. We sold our last house because we could no longer afford to live there and I am afraid we will have to do the same again. Trouble is last time the house sold before it even got on the market and for the asking price but the market has changed and I don't think it is a great time to be selling a house. Two of our friends tried selling last summer and have taken their houses off the estate agent's books as nothing was happening. I hate feeling like this and having to worry about money. Every time I think about Christmas I get a little bubble of panic rising in the pit of my stomach. I am feeling guilty about the money I have spent recently but I just don't know how not to spend money. I grew up poor and I don't know how to do it any more, I don't want to do it. I have double listed on ebay this week and have lined up some more goodies to sell so hopefully I should make some dosh. I sometimes wish I could go out to work, but then again I hate the thought of not being able to do what I want to to when I want to do it.

Anyhoo it's the weekend and I have just made a lovely beef stew with dumplings which I am going to consume with a glass of wine. I shall think of a way out of this financial mess, cheers :-)
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Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Right, that's Paul's birthday and Halloween out of the way, just need to do bonfire night this weekend and we will be hurtling with alarming speed towards Xmas. I have had my first little taste of it today. Two of my favourite shops in town held their Christmas preview evenings and as a 'valued friend and customer' (i.e. big spender) I was invited to both and went with my mum and Jazz. It is so lovely to have these shops, which are opposite each other, and, together with another at the opposite end of town that stock masses of Cath Kidston delights, I no longer feel the need to attend the Country Living Christmas Fair. As mum put it 'it has been brought to us'. It is as though I sent out my personal shoppers and got them to bring back a selection of goodies for my delectation. One of the shops is owned by a lovely gay couple who admit that sometimes when they unpack things they think 'ooh Donna will like that'. One chap is an avid quilter and loves feedsack fabrics like me, the other works on films and is a hairdresser to the stars. So you can imagine how pleased I was when they opened their shop last year. They add a bit of glamour to this North Devon town. We had delicious wine and Nigella Lawson cake in their shop where I bought lots of polka dot christmas decorations to add to the ones I have hand-made for the past few years. In the shop opposite, which is a very stylish florists that also sells gorgeous little things, we had mulled wine, homemade mince pies and fruit cake. I bought a few more deccies in there and have now stashed them away in the cupboard that is for Xmas decorations only and will probably forget all about them until I decorate (a week or so before Xmas). I will then be excited all over again as I rediscover them. I know this, as I do it every year!

Anyway enough about the 'C' word but just before I go here's a quick reminder of how many days we have left, just in case you were wondering.